Pneumatic starter for internal-combustion engines.



J. DESMOND.

PNEUMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

1,186,974. Patented June 13, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I img m% THE COLUMBIA PLANOOIAPH OO-, WASMINOTON..D. C-r

J. DESMOND. v PNEUMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGlNES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, I914.

Patented J fine 13; 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vg L Illlllii llllllflllll THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D.c.

1. DESMONDM PNEUMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1914.

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PNEUMATIC STARTER {0R INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

1,186,974. PatentedJune13, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

L//ua 65/72/07 J. DESMOND.

PNEUMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

1,186,974. Patented Junei3, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

m5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, D. c.

car

sra'ras PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DESMOND, OF WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTAYLOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 11113 13, 1916.

. Application filed June 15, 1914. Serial No.'S45,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JOHN DEsMoNn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilmette, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Starters forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic startere-for internal combustionengines and has especial reference to devices of this character asapplied to propelling engines of automobiles.

The starting, air motor exemplified herein, is of the same general typeas that disclosed in I my copending application filed November 11th,1912and bearing Serial No. 730,581.

Some of the objects of my present invention'are to generally improve thestructure of air, starting motors, and means of their application toengines to be started and to improve means for controlling the air underpressure, which is necessary for their operation.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent,to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein- Figure1 shows my engine starter as it appears when applied to an automobile ofthe Ford type. .Fig. 2 is a section, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a transverse section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 7. Fig. 4c is atransverse section taken on line H of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows and showing the end of the piston. Fig. 5 is a similarsection taken on line '55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of thearrows. Fig. .6 is a detail of a portion of the two part plug that isadapted to fit within the, bore of the piston for holding the flexiblepiston rod in connection therewith. Fig. 7 is asection taken on line 77of Fig. 3, looking in the direction .ofthe arrows. Fig. 8 is atransverse, broken away detail taken on line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9'is avertical, axial section of the controlling valve, for controlling theair admitted to the pneumatic motor, which valve forms subject matter ofa copending application filed contemporaneously herewith. Fig, 10 is atrans verse section of the same taken on line 1010'of Fig. 9. Figs. 11shows a steering post of an automobile and the spark controlling leverand means associated therewith to lock the valve and prevent its usewhen the spark controlling lever is in a predetermined position. Fig. 12is a transverse section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11. 13 is a sectiontaken on line 13-48 of Fig. 12.

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicatesimilar parts. I

In the use of my apparatus a single impulse of air is applied to apiston, that is adapted to be freely reciprocated within'the cylinder,and which is connected by a flexible connection to the periphery of awheel that may be temporarily connected in driving relation with theshaft of the engine to V bestarted. The single impulse of air, or

c the single cycle of operation of the piston,

sufficient portion thereof, it will be auto-' matically returned to itsinitial position by means of a spring, intended for the purpose, afterthe engine has become disassociated from the starting motor.

15 is a cylinder of my pneumatic motor, such as a seamless brass tube,provided with a cap 16 at its free end, in which is a perforation 17.The other end of the cylinder is connected to a head 18 which ispreferably a part of the casing 19. A piston, generally indicated by 20,consists of an inner sleeve 21 and an outer sleeve 22, between which iscontained-a leather packing cup 23. The pistonsleeve 21 is provided witha radial flange 24, slightly smaller in diameter than the interior boreof the cylinder 15, for support ofthe rear surface of the packing cup.The sleeve 22 is provided with a similar flange 25 which affords a guidefor the and contains therebetween a flexible piston rodor ribbon 27. Thesemi-circular plugs .are held together as by a dowel pin 28 which passesthrough a perforation made in the flexible piston rod, or connection 27.A further means to prevent the piston rod from slipping between thesurfaces of the plug 2626 is the fact that it is bent upon itself toprovide an enlargement, as at 29.

The head 18 is "provided with an inte- 'riorly extending flange 30, uponwhich rests a stufiing box 31,-for containing packing 31" for theflexible piston rod 27. A disk 32 overlies the flange 33 of thestutlingbox and is secured tothe inwardly extending flange 30, as byscrews 34. The disk is provided with an elongated slot 35 through whichthe piston rod 27 will freelycp'ass, A- fitting 36 is adapted to screwinto the 'head'18 and is the means of connecting the air induction pipe37 to the cylinder. The inner sleeve 21ofthe piston, rests against thedisk 32,

when the former is in its retracted position,

andI therefore provide holes or notches 38 in this portion of the pistonso that air coming through the pipe 37-may pass-underthe dial web '50 ofthe wheel 45. r resiliently held in its depressed or engaging affordingbearings for" the shaft 41 -hub 46. I ;-47 in whiehthe ratchetwheel 42and pawl piston for application to all of its parts.

-The annular casing 19 is provided with laterally projecting-hollowbosses 39 and 40 The shaft 41 has secured to it a ratchet wheel 42. Abushing,'0r sleeve 43, surrounds the shaft 41 andextends from theratchet wheel 7 42 to the removable side plate 44 of the casing 19.Thefwheel 45 surrounds the bushlng, and ls provlded with a 'proJectmg Onone-side 1t contains'a recess 48-are inclosed, the pawl beingconnectible withthe ratchet wheel, to rotate; the same. The pawl 48 ispivoted, as at 49, to the ra- The pawl is position with the ratchetwheel 42, when released, by means of the resilient spring 51, which issecured to the rim of the'casing positionythe front end of the pawl willthereby be lifted from contact with the teeth of. the ratchet wheel, asclearly shown in Fig. 8.

' On the other side of the web 50 of the fwheel. 45 is an annular-recess55, in which is contained a spiral fiat ribbon spring. '56.

The inner end of this spring is connected V to thehub 46 and the sleeve53'by means of a pin57, the outerendbeing connected to the side wall 44of the casing 19, as by'a pin to the rim 45' of the wheel, by screws, asat 5 8, The. flexible; piston rod: 27 is secured 59. -Theretractingspring56 is of suflicient strength to yieldingly hold'tl1e wheel 45 inits retracted position, forcing the rear annular surface offithe pawl 48in contact with the angular surface 53 of the stationary lug 52, therebytilting the front end of the pawl clear of the ratchet wheel 42 so thatthe shaft 41 and the ratchet wheel 42 may be rotated, in clockwisedirection, viewing Fig. 8, without the teeth of the ratchet wheel makingcontact with the pawl. As soon as tension is applied to the piston 20,of the cylinder 15, which causes it to move out toward the free end, onits power stroke, the piston rod 27, will rotate the wheel 45 andthereupon the spring 51 will depress the front end of the pawl 48, therear end having been relieved from the effect of the lug 52, and thepawl will then engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel 42 torotate the engine shaft 41.

An attaching clip 60, for securing the I casing 19 in proper axialrelation with the motor shaft 41, of the automobile engine, andespecially when the device is applied to a Ford automobile, as shown inFig. 1, consists of a piece of sheet metal bent substantially at rightangles, a part 61 being substantially the same configuration as thelower portion of the casing 19 and secured thereto as by screws 62, haslaterally extending ears 63 and 64, the horizontal portions of suchprojections or ears being perforated for reception of one bolt member ofeach of the yokes 65 and 66 that are employed to surround the vehiclespring 67 and hold it in proper position with reference to thesupporting cross sill 68 of the automobile. In the particularexemplification the shaft 41 is a substantial extension of the engineshaft 70, it having a squared end 41 that enters a squared orifice inthe sleeve 71, the latter being secured to the shaft 7 O, by means of apin 72, and which sleeve carries a sprocket wheel 73. Over-lying thesleeve 71 is a belt pulley 74 secured thereto, as by a screw 75. Theouter end of the shaft 41 is also squared, as at 41, so that the enginemay be started by the ordinary starting crank when the cap 76 isunscrewed and removed from the screw threaded hub 39, withoutinterference by the pneumatic starter.

A controlling valve 80, for admitting air from any suitable source ofair supply.

through the pipe 81, to the pipe 37, and from thence into the pneumaticmotor, is provided with a laterally and upwardly extending arm 82, and afoot lever 83,-hinged as at 84; The lever is held normally in elevatedposition by means of a spring 85, The valve structure 80 contains threevalves,

all of which are operated by movement of the lever 83. The lower end ofthe valve is secured the air supply pipe 81. The valve 87, normallycloses a port 88, an open helical spring 89, servingto' accomplish thispurpose when the valve is not restrained.

casing is closed by the screw cap 86, in which Another valve 90,normally'closes the port J30 91, and is held in closed position, whennot restrained, by means of a spring 92, that normally rests upon theupper surface of the valve 87. These two valves provide a double sealbetween the inlet pipe 81 and the outlet pipe 37, when they are closed.A hol low sleeve 93 provided with a central bore 94: terminating in avalve seat 95 at one end and provided with transverse bores 9696 at theother end, is freely slidable in the bore 97. When the sleeve 93 is inthe position shown in Fig. 9, the pneumatic motor is vented to theoutside atmosphere by the air entering the chamber 99 and passing outthrough the transverse bores 96 and the axial bore 91L, and throughgrooves 100 made in the side surface of the valve plug 101. The plug 101carries a valve 102 on its lower end adapted to neatly fit the valveseat 95 carried by the sleeve 93. The

plug 101 is provided with an enlarged head 10 1 against which the spring85 bears, and with which the lever 83 makes contact when it isdepressed. d

When it is desired to start the pneumatic motor the foot lever 83 isdepressed until the valve 102 closes the vent port 95, in the sleeve 93,thereby closing the motor vent. A further depression of the lever 83will cause the opening of the valve 90, because the sleeve 93 isconnected thereto, as by means of a connection 93 which may be aseparate or integral part of either the sleeve or the valve 90.Thereupon the valve 87 will-be opened by the stem 90, of the valve 90engaging the upper surface of the valve 87. Air will now pass from thesource of air supply to the pipe 81, and through the valve into the pipe27 and from thence into the cylinder between the head 18 and the piston20, causing the piston to move slidably rearwardly of the cylindertoward the free end thereof, carrying the flexible piston rod 27 with itand rotating the wheel 45.

The piston rod 27 makes one complete turn around the wheel 45, and thewheel will be rotated one complete revolution by the time the pistonreaches the full limit of its power stroke, within the cylinder 15. As

" soon as the wheel 15 begins to move, the pawl 48 will no longer beinfluenced by the angular surface of the projecting lug 52, and thespring 51 will depress the front end of the pawl into engagement withthe teeth of the ratchet wheel 4:2, thereby beginning to rotate theshaft ll of the engine immediately upon the movement of the piston 27.When the engine becomes self propelling and the cylinder is exhausted ofair the spring 56 I will return the wheel 15 back to its normal positionuntil the pawl again rests upon the projection 52, as clearly shown inFig. 8, thereby lifting the pawl from contact with the ratchet wheel andpreventing any noise that might otherwise ensue by the ro- 83 when thevalve 87.will first be closed.

Then the valve 90, which is preferably a soft valve and thereby insuresa more complete closure between the inlet and outlet pipes of the valve,will. be closed, after which the further extended upward movement of thelever 83 will open the vent valve 102 and cause the air that hasheretofore been contained within the cylinder 15 to escape through thepipe 37 and through the chamber 99, the transverse bores 96, and theaxial bore 9-1, of the sleeve 93, and from thence through the grooves100-400 of the plug 101, to the outside atmosphere, thereby permittingthe spring 56 to return the piston 20 to the normal position shown inFig. 3. In order that the lever 83 may not be depressed until the sparkhas been properly retarded, by the usual means, to prevent back firing,1 provide a bolt for locking the lever 83 in its, elevated position,which means is controlled by operation of the spark lever;

The spark lever 105, carried on the steering post 106, is secured to asubstantially vertiis connected by a rod 112 to a bell crank 113,

pivot-ed as at 114. This bell crank reciprocates a bolt 115 which findsbearings in brackets 116116. Projecting downwardly from the foot lever83, is a lug 117. When the shaft 108 is rotated, by the spark lever toadvance the spark, the. apparatus is positioned as shown in full lines,in Fig. 12, the bolt 115 being shoved forward into the path of the lug117, on the foot lever 83, so that when the spark is advanced the footlever 83 can not be depressed for the purpose of operating the startingmechanism owing to the position of the bolt 115. Now when the spark isretarded, which is the proper Having described my invention, what Iclaim is: v

1. A pneumatic engine starter comprising a circular casing; a Wheelwithin the casing;

*iLf shaft upon which the wheel is adapted to be freely rotated; acylinder connected tan gentially to the casing; a piston in thecylinder; a flexible connect-or connecting said piston to the wheel torotatefthe latter;

" means to rotate the'wheel in opposite direction to return the piston;means to connect thewheel and shaft to rotate the latter, operable byinitial movement of the wheel, and a pipe, to admit air under pressurein the 1! cylinder behind the piston.

2. Ina pneumatic engine starter, the combination of a rotor casing, ahollow head projecting therefrom, a tangentially disposed cylinderconnected with and support ed by said head, a piston within thecylinder, a rotor, a connection responsive to rotor movement between theengine and rotor, and a connection between the, rotor and piston. 1 r Ii i 3. In a pneumatic engine starter, the com-' i bination of a rotorcasing, a hollow head projecting therefrom, a tangentially disposedcylinder connected with and supported by said head, a piston within thecylinder,

arotor, a connection operable in response to rotor movement between-theengine and rotor,and a flexible connector, one end portlon of which isWound upon the rotor, the other end being connected to the piston.

4. In a pneumatic engine starter, the combination of a rotor casing ahead projecting therefrom and formed integral therewith, a tangentiallydisposed cylinder connected with said head, a piston within thecylinder, a rotor, a connection operable in response to rotor movementbetween the en- :gine and rotor, a connector between said rotor andpiston, and a connector stutfing box carried by and positioned withinthe said head.

5. In a pneumatic engine starter, the combination of a rotor casing, ahollow head projecting therefrom, a tangentially disposed cylinder screwthreaded into said head, a piston within the cylinder, a rotor,

a connection between the rotor and engine,

JOHN DESMOND. In the presence of- FRANK ALBUs, GRACE BURTON.

' coplel of this patentvmay be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

.e Washington, D. 0.

